God’s loyal love couldn’t have run out,
his merciful love couldn’t have dried up.
They’re created new every morning.
How great your faithfulness!
I’m sticking with God (I say it over and over).
He’s all I’ve got left.
God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits,
to the woman who diligently seeks.
It’s a good thing to quietly hope,
quietly hope for help from God.
It’s a good thing when you’re young
to stick it out through the hard times.
When life is heavy and hard to take,
go off by yourself. Enter the silence.
Bow in prayer. Don’t ask questions:
Wait for hope to appear.
Don’t run from trouble. Take it full-face.
The “worst” is never the worst.
Lamentations 3:22-30
I don't read out of the message bible every day, but sometimes I like to look up a passage just to see how it has been paraphrased. This portions of Lamentations 3 just might be one of my most favorite paraphrased parts of scripture. I've read these words over and over and over this morning because I need them to soak into every inch of my soul. Sometimes life is just hard and even though I have prayed and prayed for deliverance the Lord is telling me that this is a time where I will be refined through the fire. Not saved from it. And that's okay. This testing of my faith will produce endurance (James 1:3) and Jesus knows this gal needs a tad bit more endurance. I want to be a woman of Christ who doesn't waver. Who takes trials and counts them as joy (James 1:2). I want to look a little bit more like Christ. Even if that means walking through the fire for a little while.
Because I know one thing for sure and that is I will not walk through this fire for nothing. You do not walk through the fire for nothing. He is faithful. And He is the refiner. Your trails aren't in vain, beloved. Remember that.
I'm trying to remember that, too.
Great is Thy faithfulness, oh God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be.
Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon, and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
to Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.
Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!
Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!